I'm not from your area so can't answer as to availability, but I prefer a hardwood mulch, aged and double-ground, to a bark mulch because the bark mulch breaks down very slowly, and it tends to float when large amounts of water are around. Since I use mulch as much to improve the soil under it as for anything else, I WANT it to break down. And since many of my beds are on a slope, from slight to more severe, I want the mulch to stay where I put it, mostly, rather than to gather at the bottom of the hill, even after I have had 1-3 inches of rain inside of 24 hours. I had rather have a wood mulch instead of pine straw for some of the same reasons, plus, the latest research seems to show that pine straw is good for trees and shrubs, but not so good for flowers and vegetables. And I find the triple-ground to be almost too fine, and to break down too fast, necessitating more frequent renewal, while the single-ground needs aging for several years, else it is too coarse, with too many large chunks.

I just paid $180 for 15 cu. yds of double-ground mulch, delivered. That's about in line with the lower price from last years', from another source, but only 10 cu. yds.....

If the mulch is to improve the soil itself, hardwood mulch is the best. In less than two years you'll have nice rich black topsoil from it. If you want to prevent weeds and conserve moisture, reduce soil temps - go with LL Pine straw.

Sometimes you can find guys trimming the trees for Duke Power; have them dump some mulch for free.

You might want to try Poultry Villa, just north of Pittsboro on 15-501, for a mulch source. Pittsboro Fuel and Ice are nice folks, too. I think you can get a pick-up truck load in your own truck, or delivery. -amy

Hardwood mulch lasts the longest, stays in place better than pine bark, and will improve the soil over time. Pine bark looks nice but tends to float away and move from rain and wind. Believe me about this! Pine straw looks nice initially but doesn't not last nearly as long as any bark, and also doesn't suppress weeds as well. In some places (eg, Raleigh), you can buy composted leaf mulch which is basically made from all the yard waste the city collects. It is a very good mulch that will help improve the soil better than anything, but it doesn't last as long as bark and tends to blow around on windy days. It's great for vegetable gardens if you can get it. In sum, hardwood mulch is the best overall in terms of looks, longevity, staying in place, suppressing weeds, and improving the soil.

Has anyone here used hardwood bark mulch? I keep hearing that there is a difference between that and the hardwood mulch that is commonly sold. Where did you get it and is it really worth the effort to find it?

Hardwood mulch IS hardwood bark mulch. They make it by skinning the bark off trees that are sent to make lumber or other products. It probably also contains small limbs, etc., that have been ground up, but it is primarily bark that has been composted.

Smile -- I live just over the Chatham line (4 miles from UNC campus). I use JV Brockwell at Calvander (crossroads of Old Hwy 86 and Homestead Road outside of Carrboro) for mulch, stone, garden soil, etc. Those guys with dump trucks are regulars at my house! Very nice folks. I just drive up onto the lot and flag down one of the guys and tell them what I want delivered. You can also fill your own pickup truck onsite, but I purchase so much that I have them deliver it.

Also, the garden soil is incredible. I used 28 cubic yards last fall to create the mixed garden that I'm still planting. I've already been out there planting and it's full of earthworms.

I get palettes of flagstone and river rock from them for building patios, pathways and dry stream beds. They also have a variety of grit, gravel and screenings.

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: mulch

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We are definitely going to purchase hardwood mulch, although still undecided whether to purchase bags (slowly) at a hardware store or get a large quanity delivered.

wonbyherwits -- Your house and gardens are absolutely stunning. I haven't seen very many nice landscaping except in the historic houses of CH and Fearrington Village. Most of the houses were we live have mostly overgrown and gardens in disarray, and the newer houses have very typical and boring foundation gardens. Did you do this all yourself? Our budget doesn't really allow for us to hire a lanscape designer, so I purchased a couple books, but still clueless as to what to do!

I really like using pine bark nuggets, but I have boundaries in my bed that prevent them from blowing or floating out of bed. I also like that they are easier to push around and pick up even months and months after it was applied. I'm a peaker and love searching for plants and seeds emerging in the spring so the pine bark helps. I personally like the darker rich decomposition of the bark.

wonbyherwits, I can't believe your gardens are only two years in the making. What an incredible job you have done so far. I love your blog. I work for a nursery and am very interested in your experiences with deer proof planting. We get asked about it all the time. I'll be checking back every now and then to see your progress. Adele

Smile -- for the water feature, fence, large trees and a few initial shrubs (the thorny shrub roses), we used a landscaper that I've worked with on other projects.

All of the perennials and mixed borders are still under construction and all of our own work. My husband and two sons (one in pharmacy school at UNC and the other UNC graduate is an archaeologist in grad school in London) helped tremendously. All 4 of us built the stone dining patio and dry stream bed. I did most of the garden soil distribution, but everyone has helped with planting, mulching and laying paths.

Yes, we built the house in 2005 and I've been gardening ever since.

Adele -- I was just at BB last week and bought two wagon loads for my butterfly garden (under construction). My business is very different. I take plant orders from avid gardeners and deliver (pickup truck load) to them straight from the nursery. I don't keep a store, employees or stock. I only work with folks close to my home. I don't even advertise as word-of-mouth is working quite well. I AM retired, after all from my career, so this is because of my passion for gardening and fun with other gardeners.

I will continue to provide deer updates as I'm on a mission! They are such a problem. Right now, I've got 30" high wire edging around the new gardens that are outside of my cottage garden fence. They haven't attempted to jump it yet. Everything planted in the "outside garden" is on 2-3 deer-resistant lists. I am just breaking up their traffic pattern where they were munching on the shrub roses that grow through my permanent fence. There were 4 deer outside earlier this evening, but I've not seen any hoof marks inside the edging. The only severe damage over the winter was my illicium. It's developing new leaf buds and I've got two car deodorizers hanging on it! :-)

We finally decided on triple shredded red oak hardwood mulch from For Gardens Sake. The price was good and they delivered quickly. I plan on using JV brockwell for future projects as well. They also had an excellent price, but the delivery timeframe was slower, and we wanted to get started on spreading the mulch while we had a spare weekend.

wonbyher wits. You've done a wonderful job, and I'm impressed at the outcome. We are just two (with a toddler), so its hard to get much work done, and I also lack the design or plant knowledge to do much with the lawn other than trim overgrown shrubs and get rid of weeds! Would you mind providing the name of your landscaper? We'd love to get a blueprint design in a few years when we can afford it, and then work from the design.

We also have a huge problem with deer, and the previous owners planted a ton of azeleas. Although we like the deer, I dont want them near the house b/c they bring ticks (dont want them near my dd). I got a list from Niche gardens with a list of deer resistant plants. Do you know if geraniums sitting on porch steps would be resisitant? How about impatiens or tulips right up against the foundation hedge of the house?

The Garden's Sake folks are very knowledgeable and have good selections of plants and trees. They grow a lot of their stock and expand the selection from other nurseries.

As for deer -- it depends upon the deer herd and how afraid they are of your house.

At a previous house (near Jordan Lake), the deer came up to the lowest porch step and munched the geraniums. They do eat impatiens and tulips. They nip azalea buds and leave you with the greenery. Same with hydgrangeas and daylilies. They devour hostas and Indian hawthorn like candy.

What deer don't like (my personal experience) are those plants that butterflies do like or that fall in the hot/dry category or herb category. They don't touch any of my ornamental grasses (carex, acorus, cortaderia, miscanthus, etc.)

full sun herbs, perennials and annuals:
nepeta
lavender
rosemary
thyme
fennel
oregano
achillea
agastache
penstemon
coreopsis moonbeam
snapdragons
heliotrope
iris (Dutch, Japanese, Siberian, bearded -- once in awhile, a bloom will disappear)
monarda
eupatorium
dianthus (they don't eat it, but the fawns pull it up)
phlox subulata
salivas
verbena
daffodils
hyacinths (and bluebells)

shade perennials:
ferns
astilbe
dicentra

Shrubs/small trees:
cotoneaster
buddleia
itea virginica
deutzia
vitex
gardenia (radicans left alone; bigger ones tasted)
cotinus
nandina
bambusa (clump)
osmanthus fragrans
magnolia (bucks rub their antlers on the lower branches, so a 24-30" high edging fence is what I use)
ilex glabra
ilex vomitoria
ilex carissa
spirea (mixed results with the blooms, foliage is okay)

They munch the first flowers on echinacea, helianthus and rudbeckia, but them leave them alone. Since I cut the first flowers to encourage more flowers, I'm okay with this.

They munch my heuchera in winter, but not in summer. Same with my lorepetalum, illicum, hypericum and ligustrum. They taste a few other things like cryptomeria and chamaecyparis, but tend to spit it out on the ground.

I have just planted calla, canna, brugmansia, colocasia and agapanthus. I'll report on those in my blog as we go through the summer. I don't expect a problem.

I'm also adding these and not expecting a problem:

amsonia
asclepias
crinum
chelone
veronica (I've had mixed success in the past, but I'm going to try royal candles this time)

Now, when I lived in Efland in the middle of the woods, the deer left everything alone -- hostas, hydrangeas, daylilies, azaleas. Different herds that have access to sufficient wild food and don't go foraging in yards.

Deer are lazy! That's why my little 28-30" high edger will deter them from their traffic pattern. Too much work to jump into a space that looks like they can't get out. They will jump the 4 board fence out front that has wide open meadow on both sides. They also go under the lowest board in the fence if it's easier than jumping!

Best of luck with your garden!